Business Commons^™

Organizational Climate And Employee Engagement, Romie Mejalli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although research shows that disengaged employees contribute to increased health and hiring costs in for-profit organizations, there is a gap in the literature concerning the relationship between organizational climate (OC) and employee engagement (EE) in nonprofit organizations (NPOs). In this study, it was hypothesized that employee answers to the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 (UWES-17) and OC surveys (for example, of management styles and innovation) would predict EE in a NPO. The study further addressed the question of whether age or the division in which the employees worked influenced the relationship between OC and EE. Kahn’s engagement theory served as the …

Special Operations Forces Culture And Implications For Interagency Collaboration, Bradley Rhinelander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Horn of Africa exemplifies maritime instability due to regional climate, environmental, economic, food, and security issues. Future global challenges require collaborative approaches between U.S. government and military organizations to span organizational boundaries and leverage the strengths and insights of diverse organizations. The purpose of this research was to examine organizational culture and identity, as manifested in organizational literature, to identify opportunities and challenges to interagency networks and collaboration in the realm of confronting wicked problems around the globe. The research questions focus on the cultural and normative elements of organizational identity as manifest in the context of organizational literature. …

Assessment Of The High Performance Cycle To Understand Work Motivation Among U.S. Workers, Eric J. Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The high performance cycle (HPC) is a multi-theoretical model of workplace motivation that is rooted in goal setting theory. While limited studies have empirically tested the HPC since its inception in 1990, early studies were limited in the lack of an instrument designed to assess HPC variables. Using an instrument developed by Borgogni and Dello Russo to empirically test the HPC, this study’s aim was to provide further examination of the HPC antecedents of performance with an increased sample size and by drawing from a diverse population of workers. Using a self-report measure of performance, a cross-sectional design was implemented …

Financial Advisory Firms’ Strategies For Diversifying And Growing Clients’ Portfolio, Gerald Lee House

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Less than half of all U.S. households have some form of retirement assets. Advisors who fail to use alternative investment strategies may not accumulate enough retirement assets for their clients. Grounded in Markowitz's modern portfolio theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore alternative investment strategies financial advisors use to enhance the growth and diversification of their clients' retirement assets. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and company documents from 4

financial advisors in Georgia and South Carolina who had successfully incorporated alternative investments in their clients' retirement portfolios. Thematic analysis was used to analyze …

Impacting Nonprofit Financial Sustainability And Mission, Jarhal Duncan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofits in the United States have been struggling to maintain financial sustainability and create new pathways to accomplish its mission. The research problem was that there was limited research on leadership strategies for nonprofits to facilitate the balance of achieving the organizational mission and financial sustainability. The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of how current leaders of niche-based nonprofit organizations use strategies to impact financial sustainability and maintain the mission of the nonprofit organization. Building on this understanding can help address this issue. Theoretical frameworks such as Resource Dependence Theory and General Systems Theory help develop …

Hispanic Women's Experiences And Perceptions Of Challenges In Higher Education Leadership, Blanca Figueroa Estrada

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of diversity exists in higher education leadership, particularly with Hispanic/Latina women. Differences in cultural backgrounds play a role when leaders who are mostly White consider individuals of other ethnicities for promotion. In 2016, only 3% of all higher education leadership positions were held by Hispanics/Latinos and even a smaller percentage were women. Identifying the challenges Hispanic/Latino women face in competing for leadership roles in higher education is needed to understand the factors needed to be overcome to succeed. A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted with 13 participants to explore how Hispanic/Latina women perceive the higher education work environment …

The Sustainability Knowledge, Attitude, And Behavior Differences Between Green And Non-Green University Students, Rebekah Hart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that green schools and sustainability education (SE) can improve learning, health, attitudes, and behaviors. They can also model the necessary community, societal, and global changes needed for sustainable living. However, most students do not attend green schools or receive adequate SE. Limited peer-reviewed studies have also examined the sustainability knowledge, attitude, and behavior differences between green and non-green university student populations. The theoretical foundation of the study was based on the theories of planned behavior and social identity theory. In order to fill the research gap, 606 undergraduates and graduates from 265 U.S. accredited green and non-green …

Urgent Care Centers And Workers’ Compensation Medical Cost Containment, Drema M. Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In response to healthcare payment policy reforms, billions of dollars in healthcare provider charges are challenged annually. Following the implementation of the Virginia workers’ compensation medical fee legislation, healthcare organizations experienced declining worker compensation medical fee schedule reimbursements and lack of profitability. Grounded in the adaptive cycle model, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies 2 urgent care center (UCC) leaders in Virginia used to increase profits after implementing the Virginia workers’ compensation medical fee legislation. Data were collected via in-depth interviews and a review of company documents. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. …

Social Influences, Decision-Making, And Career Retention Of Novice Teachers, Kerstin Anna Stewart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New teachers bring hope, optimism, and excitement for teaching and learning from their individual preparatory programs to their classrooms at the start of every new school year. However, research indicates a large number of those teachers leave the field of teaching within a 5-year timeframe. The consequence of this loss of professionals has a deep-rooted impact on student achievement and learning. This loss also has considerable career and financial implications for the field of education. The reasons for this exodus are varied and somewhat broad in nature and scope. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived …

Strategies For Enhancing Organizational Performance By Advancing Women To Leadership Positions, Veronica Denise Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 45% of the U.S. labor force comprises women, but less than 5% work in executive positions due to ineffective succession strategies. Human resource (HR) managers who fail to implement succession strategies are at risk of losing competitive advantage and lower organizational performance due to a lack of equitable promotional and hiring processes for future female leaders. Grounded in the social role theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore succession strategies HR managers in the home improvement industry use to advance qualified women for leadership positions to improve organizations’ performance. The participants comprised 6 HR …

Workplace Incivility Of Female Managers On Self-Confidence, Self-Awareness, And Self-Esteem Of Female Workers, Dwan L. Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace incivility has been a focus of scholars since 1999 and a rising phenomenon among women within various organizations. Women represent more than half of the workforce in the United States, indicating that it is very likely that a woman will have a woman manager and/or employee at some time during her work experience. Researchers have demonstrated that women workers are very likely to experience workplace incivility during their work life more than men. Researchers have not yet established how workplace incivility impacts the female workers self-confidence, self-esteem and self-awareness when perpetrated by their female manager. The purpose of this …

An Exploration Of Women Experiences In Leadership Positions Within African Immigrant Churches In The United States, Abraham Simon Obodai Wentum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little research has been conducted to understand the experiences of the women in leadership positions in the African immigrant church in the United States. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of women in leadership positions in African immigrant churches in the United States to inform efforts toward enhancing representation of women in church leadership. The study used an interpretative phenomenological analysis research approach, guided by Bass and Riggio’s transformational leadership theory. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 12 women in leadership positions in African immigrant churches. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Women leaders …

Strategies To Reduce Voluntary Employee Turnover, Patricia M. Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High voluntary turnover negatively impacts an organization's profits, resulting in high expenses for businesses. The findings contribute to practical ways for small business leaders to maintain long-term employees, minimize operational costs, and enhance local economic stability. Grounded in the concept of transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies small business leaders use to reduce voluntary employee turnover. The participants comprised 5 private industry leaders in the state of Virginia, who were successful in reducing voluntary employee turnover. Data collected through semistructured face-to-face interviews and analysis of company documents. Based on Yin's …

Female Small Business Owners: Strategies For Success, Betsy J. Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2015, 30.2 million small businesses existed in the United States; the Small Business Administration predicted that only half would survive beyond 5 years. Female business owners who do not establish practices to gain a competitive advantage in the small business marketplace may experience poor business performance. Grounded in trait theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the business strategies female small business owners use to succeed in a small business beyond 5 years. Participants included 3 female owners of successful small businesses in Northern California who have been in continual operation for more than …

Locus Of Control And Mindfulness As Moderators Of The Job Demand-Control Model: Effects On Burnout, Basia Andrejko-Gworek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractBurnout is considered a health hazard of contemporary workplaces and additional research is needed to identify protective factors against this phenomenon. The job demand-control model specifies job control as the key buffer against strains, but empirical support for its buffer hypothesis is limited. The present study accounted for both structural and person factors and tested a revised hindrance job demand-control model in prediction of burnout. By incorporating the challenge-hindrance stress framework with tenets of the transactional stress framework and the differential reactivity of personality theory, it was proposed that inclusion of hindrance stressors (i.e., interpersonal conflict, role conflict and organizational …

Strategies Small Business Owners Use To Access Working Capital To Fund Operations, Michael Patrick Belleman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many small business owners encounter a lack of access to traditional bank funding that limits the owner’s ability to meet working capital shortages to sustain operations. Grounded in the resource-based view, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that small, home health care agency owners use to access working capital lending sources to finance their operations. The participants comprised 3 owners of small home health agencies in Wayne County, Macomb County, and St. Clair County, Michigan, who developed and implemented successful strategies to obtain working capital. Data were collected through semistructured interviews using open-ended questions, …

Exploring Spiritual Intelligence And Career Success Among People Of Color Working In Nonprofit Educational Institutions, Janelle C. Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Performance management frameworks in public educational institutions have not dealt with some of the challenges in creating an environment that reflects organizational commitment, sustainability, productivity, and retention among academic staff. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of people of color regarding the challenges they face involving the use of spiritual intelligence in the workplace. Garner’s multiple intelligence theory served as the foundation for this study. The key research question focused on the perceptions of people of color working in nonprofit educational institutions regarding the role that spiritual intelligence played in their workplaces and career successes. …

Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies That Engage Employees And Increase Productivity., Alvin Sidney Moton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLow employee engagement can negatively impact productivity for small fast-food restaurants in the United States. Small fast-food restaurant managers who do not engage employees experience decreased employee productivity. Grounded in Hofstede's cross-cultural dimensions theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies managers of small fast-food restaurants managers use to improve employee engagement. Participants were four small fast-food restaurants manager within the southern region of the United States who used cross-cultural strategies to successfully engage employees. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and internal company documents and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: (a) …

The Executive Director Experiences Of African American Women In Mainstream Nonprofit Performing Arts Organizations, Davida S. Gobin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women are presently underrepresented in mainstream nonprofit performing arts organizations (PAOs) throughout the United States. Despite this inequality, a small number of African American women have overcome the odds and have productively earned senior leadership roles as executive directors in mainstream nonprofit PAOs. Using the conceptual frameworks of intersectionality and critical race feminism, the purpose of this study was to explore the shared lived experiences of African American women in executive director positions and the impact of race and gender on their leadership development and training for advancement in a mainstream nonprofit PAO. Four research questions explored the …

Strategies For Cultural Integration Following Cross-Border Mergers And Acquisitions, Kimihiro Iwao

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) strategies can negatively impact value creation. Global information and communications technology (ICT) company leaders who do not effectively manage M&As risk eventual divestiture of their acquired targets. Guided by Haspeslagh and Jemison’s acquisition integration approach model and Hofstede’s 5 dimensions of national cultural theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that leaders of global ICT companies use to integrate diverse workers following cross-border M&As. The participants were 8 IMs from low context cultures who supervised acquired foreign workers primarily from high context cultures. Data were collected through semistructured …

Influence Of Collectivistic And Individualistic Values On Probation Officers' Retention, Audrene Janell Ellis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Probation officers are departing their employment before retirement at a high rate depending on the agency, location, and type of position, which impacts society. The cost associated with training a new officer could consume a large portion of an agency's yearly budget, leaving many inexperienced officers to supervise dangerous offenders and defendants. Thus, it is important to examine factors influencing retention such as whether individualistic and collectivist values predict a relationship between retention intent of probation officers. The purpose of this quantitative research study, guided by Hofstede's cultural theory, was to determine whether family embeddedness influences retention intent of probation …

Mediating Effect Of Transformational And Servant Leadership On Perceptions Of Management Bullying, Wilsa Desir

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying by workplace organizational leadership will continue to present challenges until organizations adopt tools to identify feasible policies, programs, and solutions that can bridge the gap between oppressed employees and their organizations. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine the effects of transformational and servant leadership on organizational commitment and the mediating effect of management bullying in the workplace. The investigation was guided by the 3-component model (TCM) of organizational commitment, Burns's conceptual framework on transformational leadership, and Greenleaf's theory on servant leadership. Survey data were collected from 134 participants recruited via social media and snowball sampling. …

Employee Engagement In The Federal Sector: An Exploration Of Communication, Respect, Motivation, And Encouragement, Jody Mcdaniel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate and deepen the understanding of employee engagement in the multigenerational workforce of a federal agency. Organizational culture in combination with the dispersion of staff across multiple generations presented the opportunity to inform the case study through scientific management theory and the theory of generations as well as concepts regarding organizational change, employee satisfaction, and organizational leadership. Research questions involved investigating factors influencing the reduction in employee satisfaction and engagement, the impact of generational differences, and the role leadership plays in altering employee engagement. Survey questions were developed based on 4 …

Successful Strategies To Address Disruptive Innovation Technologies In The Digital-Media Industry, Latronya M. Acevedo-Berry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Digital media executives lack strategic solutions for the preparation and response to changing media innovation technology. The lack of innovative technological strategies threatens digital-media corporations’ ability to maintain marketplace sustainability for addressing disruptive innovation technologies. Grounded in Christensen’s disruptive innovation theory and Roger’s diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore innovative technological strategies some executives of digital-media corporations used to maintain marketplace sustainability for addressing disruptive innovation technologies. The participants were 7 digital-media executives in New York and California, who used effective strategies to innovate technology and maintain marketplace sustainability. Data were …

Strategies To Mitigate Negative Social Media Communications In Collegiate Athletics, Jennifer A. Parks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Harmful social media communications in collegiate athletics are challenging, compelling athletic administrators to implement strategies to mitigate costly damage to the university. Grounded in framing theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies some collegiate athletic administrators use to mitigate negative social media communications by their student-athletes and coaches that may cause problems resulting in reputational damage to the brand, negative publicity, financial loss, sanctions, and fines for the university or college. Participants were 4 collegiate athletic administrators located in the southeastern United States, who had a social media policy and strategies to successfully mitigate …

Nonprofits’ Financial Health And Healthy People 2020 California Program Outcomes, Tammie Vanessa Johnson-Lozolla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) are essential for implementing U.S. health promotion policies such as the Healthy People 2020 Nutrition and Weight Status 9, 10.4, and 15.1 program goals. Obtaining and sustaining NPO funding are pervasive problems. Prior research has focused primarily on NPO financial measures without taking into consideration a conjoint assessment of program outcomes connected to their primary mission. This study examined the influence of financial, accountability, and transparency measures on a selection of California NPOs whose program goals focused on Healthy People 2020 nutritional outcomes. Using Mohr’s program theory lens, this quantitative study examined financial strategies and administrative components …

Servant Leadership And Job Satisfaction As Moderated By Workplace Spirituality, Shellie Kae Mcnabb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Job satisfaction has been the focus of scholars for decades. Employers must create a workplace where the employee receives more than a paycheck. Servant leaders speak directly to the decisive leader-follower relationship. Workplace spirituality is a place where the employee is a valued part of the membership. Combining the three elements may answer the current problem of the aligning of business goals with employee needs. Existing research supports that servant leadership enhances job satisfaction. Researchers have demonstrated that the employee lead by example is more content. Missing are the contexts where these workers excel. The purpose of this study was …

Strategies For Increasing Workforce Engagement, Joanne White Hayes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The existence of disengaged employees can reduce productivity and increase organizations’ costs. Engaged employees are vital to many organizations and the success of organizational leaders. Grounded in Herzberg's two factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies managers used to increase employee engagement in the nonprofit industry. Participants were 3 managers in South Carolina who successfully implemented strategies to increase employee engagement. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review of company documents. Data were analyzed using Yin’s 5-step method of analysis, and 3 themes emerged: providing clear and concise communication, recognition and …